Library Timeline
View the Heights Libraries Timeline here and see how our libraries have evolved over the last century!
Library Chronology
You can view an interactive chronology of the first 100 years of the library, which features photos and information from our library system’s history.
Better Know the History of Your Library Blog
You can find local history posts on our blog.
Recent history blog posts:
Waiting to be Arrested at Night: A Memoir from Xinjiang
I want to begin this post with a short explanation. This blog post is a companion piece to a post I wrote last year about The Backstreets, the first Uyghur-authored* novel to be translated into English. That post briefly touches on the ongoing situation with the...
Indigenous Heritage Books for Youth
November is National Native American History Month. We're fortunate that the last several years have seen an increase in the number of books reflecting the diverse, vibrant indigenous cultures of this land. These new opportunities to learn about and celebrate these...
Steve Luxenberg on Plessy versus Ferguson
Steve Luxenberg discusses his nonfiction book, Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation, which was published in 2019 to critical acclaim.
Ibrahim Sundiata on Slavery and the 1619 Project
Professor Ibrahim K. Sundiata is Emeritus Professor of History and African and African American Studies at Brandeis University.
Library’s 1619 Project program series continues to explore issues of race
When COVID-19 hit Ohio in March 2020, Heights Libraries shut down and canceled most of its programs. With the help of the now ubiquitous video platform Zoom, the library was able to hold some programs online: storytimes, book discussions, and knitting groups all made...
Heights Libraries Opens New Local History Room
Heights Libraries is pleased to announce the opening of its new Local History Room at the Lee Road branch. Located on the building’s second floor, the room is the culmination of years of planning that began in 2016 with the Library’s centennial celebration. That year,...
Vida Johnson on Police Bias and Misconduct
Professor Vida Johnson discusses two of her articles on police bias.
Our Team: What was, what could’ve been, and what is
Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series that Changed Baseball is a slightly unusual sports book. I've read plenty of books about sports and sports figures, and a common gripe I have with them is that they are usually written by reporters. They may...
Adam Malka on the Rise of Police and Criminalization of Black Freedom
Professor Malka discusses his book, The Men of Mobtown, which explores how the free black population of the antebellum South came to be controlled and policed.
Local History
Library History